Sensational transfers: Football change: Saudi "pensioners' league" abandons old strategy

Sensational Transfers Football Change: Saudi "Retirement League" Discards Old Strategy 03.08.2025, 05:44 Uhr

A rethink or a clear strategy? After aging stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, the extremely wealthy desert state of Saudi Arabia is now also luring young top players from Europe with big money.

Once considered one of the greatest promises in football, even the designated successor to Cristiano Ronaldo in his home country, the 127-million-euro player is now his teammate in Saudi Arabia. After an unprecedented fall from grace, Felix is trying to somehow salvage his career in the desert, which had begun so promisingly. The Saudis are delighted.

The 25-year-old's move to Al-Nassr is further proof that the extremely wealthy kingdom is no longer luring aging stars like Ronaldo, Neymar or Karim Benzema with huge sums of money, but is now focusing on players in their supposedly prime footballing age and sought-after talents.

Image of a "pensioners' league" helps little

With the signings of Felix, Mateo Retegui (26), Theo Hernandez (27), and the young Brazilian Gabriel Carvalho (17) in the current transfer window, the clubs of the Saudi Pro League (SPL) are pursuing a clear strategy. After all, the league aims to soon become one of the best in the world – and at the same time, to polish the image of the country criticized for human rights violations. Keyword: sportswashing. The 2034 World Cup is already taking place in Saudi Arabia.

The image of a "pensioners' league" doesn't help much. A report published by the SPL highlights five pillars on which the strategy is built. The first is called "Development and Acquisition of Top Talent." Transfer committees have also been established to review future signings of veteran players, after clubs have spent heavily on them in recent years. These are primarily clubs in which the sovereign wealth fund Public Investment Fund (PIF) holds the majority of the shares.

Sought-after Carvalho stays in Saudi Arabia

After global stars like Ronaldo and Neymar quickly boosted the league's reputation, Saudi Arabia is now investing in the future. Al-Nassr spent €30 million on Felix, after he had also failed at FC Barcelona, Chelsea, and AC Milan following his €127.2 million move from Benfica to Atletico Madrid. And the attacking player is no isolated case.

Retegui, Serie A's top scorer and Italy's attacking hope, preferred to move to Al-Qadsiah for €68.25 million rather than play in the Champions League with Atalanta or another ambitious European club. Hernandez (from AC Milan to Al-Hilal) also followed the lure of big money. The coveted Carvalho forwent the move to Europe, preferring to make his next move in Saudi Arabia.

Better big money than a big career

Last winter, Saudi Arabia's top clubs launched a major attack on talented or proven players. Jhon Duran (21/for €77 million to Al-Nassr) and former Leverkusen player Moussa Diaby (25/for €60 million to Al-Ittihad) moved from Premier League side Aston Villa to the Kingdom, while Mohamed Simakan (24) left Bundesliga club RB Leipzig to play alongside Ronaldo in Riyadh.

They all still had several years of careers at the very highest level ahead of them, but they all opted for the big money first.